Election 2014: North Marion levy fails again, with wider gap

The North Marion School District four-year operating levy has failed to pass for the second time.

Backers decided to go out for a second election after a November loss saw a difference of 63 between yes and no voters.

But the May 20 election saw a greater voter turnout (56.48 percent) and an even bigger gap of 179 votes, with 54 percent voting no and 45.6 percent voting yes. Twenty-five of the voters who filled out ballots left the option blank.

Im inclined (to think that) unless we can get a group of people to understand what the need is and are willing to support (a levy), beyond the six members of the board, its not going (to pass), Kathy Lewis, North Marion School Board director, said. Parents are a small percentage of our total voting populace here. We have to find a way to communicate.

School board Chairwoman Julie Miller pointed out that education is getting increasingly complicated.

Were fortunate enough that the state is giving schools more money so well be able to do a few of the things that we feel are necessary, she said. But were still trying to dig out of the hole and that levy money would have helped so much, for four years, to make up for all the negative years.

Lewis said the board will have to discuss what to do next because the need is still there. Miller agreed, pointing out that the district cant go out for a levy unless the lead campaigners are members of the community other than the school board.

I think we need guidance from the community that thats something thats important enough to them that theyre willing to come forward and help us, she said. Weve tried twice now. The school board cant be the group that promotes it; of course we want it. It has to be supporters that also see the need, the vision, the goal.